A Florida woman is facing serious charges after allegedly faking a heart attack during her arrest. This came in the wake of a tragic incident where her two pit bulls fatally attacked a neighbor.
Linda Cutler, 29, was taken into custody and charged with manslaughter last Wednesday, as announced by Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey. The charges relate to the death of 50-year-old Jodi Cowan.
The unfortunate event unfolded on May 19, when Cowan was walking her dog near her home in Cocoa. Cutler’s dogs, Max and Mako, reportedly broke free from their enclosure and launched a violent attack on Cowan.
Surveillance footage released by the sheriff’s office captured the chilling moment when the dogs charged at Cowan, who valiantly tried to shield her pet from harm.
According to Sheriff Ivey, both dogs knocked Cowan to the ground and brutally attacked her, dragging her across the ground over a considerable distance.
Cowan’s husband, Donnell Smith, heard her cries and rushed to her aid, only to find her severely injured, lying in a pool of blood with multiple bite wounds.
Smith then started swinging a knife at the dogs and drove them away, police said.
He called 911 and Cowan was life-flighted to a nearby hospital, where she died about four hours later.
Linda Cutler, 29, was arrested and charged with manslaughter last Wednesday in connection to the death of Jodi Cowan
Cowen, 50, had been walking her dog near her Cocoa home on May 19 when Cutler’s dogs Max and Mako escaped their owner’s fence and attacked her
Horrifying surveillance footage shared by the sheriff’s department showed the moment the pit bulls charged towards Cowan. They forced her to the ground, ‘viciously’ attacked her and dragged her across the ground for ‘quite some distance
Cutler had been staying at a Hilton hotel on the beach in nearby Melbourne, Florida at the time of the attack, according to the sheriff.
She ‘feigned having a heart attack’ as officers tried to take her into custody, Ivey said. She was taken to the hospital before being booked into Brevard County Jail.
The sheriff, who personally escorted Cutler into jail, shared video of her perp walk.
‘Hope you enjoyed your time at the beach because you’re not going to be going back,’ Ivey said to her as she was marched from the police cruiser to the jail doors.
‘What is the purpose of that?’ handcuffed Cutler questioned.
‘A woman is dead and two dogs are about to be euthanized because of your uselessness, so have a nice visit,’ the sheriff replied.
Cutler appeared dumbfounded, stuttering and seemingly at a loss of words, as the officers hauled her inside.
The sheriff’s office had received calls from neighbors about Cutler’s dogs roaming free in the neighborhood that date back to 2024.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, who personally escorted Cutler into jail, shared video of her perp walk. He said that she ‘feigned having a heart attack’ when officers first tried to arrest her
As he walked her inside, Ivey said: ‘A woman is dead and two dogs are about to be euthanized because of your uselessness, so have a nice visit.’ Cutler appeared dumbfounded by the comment
Cutler’s dogs Max and Mako are due to be euthanized
According to investigators, Cutler admitted in a sworn statement that she knew her dogs routinely escaped from her yard.
She also knew they had previously bitten someone else and had become ‘more aggressive,’ Ivey said.
Cutler’s arraignment is scheduled for June 23. Max and Mako are due to be euthanized.
